There’s a special reason guests keep returning to this unique Sydney hotel

Would you choose a hotel because it actively helped women affected by domestic violence or provided housing for people in need?

According to a new study by Griffith University’s department of Tourism and Marketing, younger travellers are the most influenced by a hotel’s social impact policy, with hotels that genuinely strive to do good in their communities gaining strong loyalty from customers.

Trust matters, according to the report, which drew on meta-analysis of 37 studies involving more than 26,000 individuals across 18 countries. “Reputation and trust, once relatively modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage”.

Song Hotel, two minutes’ walk from Museum Station, near Sydney’s Hyde Park, is Australia’s only wholly profit-for-purpose hotel. Owned by YWCA and built on the footprint of a former YWCA hostel, the bright four-star hotel ploughs all the revenue it generates into the organisation’s housing and support projects.

In 2023, YWCA provided 130,000 nights of safe accommodation to women and girls in need, supported 6000 people through additional projects and provided homes for 529 people. Most of those people in need are women and families escaping domestic violence. The charity and its partners are funding about $100 million worth of housing construction around Australia.

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The YWCA has supported women, children, young people and communities for 130 years. And it’s more important in these troubled times. Family and domestic violence related offences rose by 8 per cent in 2024-25 and continues to rise. As of late August, 49 women have allegedly been killed this year by domestic violence.

Knowing that part of your room tariff goes to worthy causes might make you feel good, but Song Hotel’s manager, Jon Ackary, says most guests don’t select a hotel primarily based on its social enterprise credentials.

They make their choices based on location first, budget second and thirdly, the rating the hotel has achieved on booking engines such as Tripadvisor and Expedia. Currently, Song is seventh out of 195 Sydney hotels on Tripadvisor.

After they stay, though, “they get the warm and fuzzies about it, and they keep coming back”, he says. The hotel has around 91 per cent occupancy year-round, with many repeat customers, so the hotel’s social enterprise does drive guest loyalty, and distinguishes it from other four-star hotels.

Song Hotel exudes a sunny friendliness. The rooms can be small, but they are light and comfortable with a soothing colour palette.